Ceecbit controller



July 6, 1937- B. GORSCHALKI 2,086,264

C IRCUIT CONTROLLER Filed May 22, 1935 35 A ZZ 33 Fi /Z 4/ INVENTOR/QUNO O/QSCHALK/ Mii.. MJ@

ATTORNEYS Patented July 6, 1937 CERCUT CQNTRLLER Bruno Grorschallri,Pasadena, Calif-E.

Application ltfay 22, 1935, Serial l @lair/n.

This invention relates generally to electrica-l systems and moreparticularly to circuit controllers as employed therein for the controlof current flow in the system.

An object of the invention is to provide a circuit controllerparticularly adapted, although not necessarily, for use in the ignitioncircuit of the motor or an automobile, to automatically disrupt thecircuit when operation of the motor ceases, so that should the operatorfail to open the usual ignition switch when stalling the motor orparking the automobile, the unnecessary draining of current from thestorage battery will positively be prevented.

Another object ci the invention is to provide a circuit controller ofthe above described character which is maintained closed under theinfluence of suction induced by the inotor w' n in operation, and by thepressure or" the oi "i the force ieed lubricating system of the motor soas to reinforce the action oi the suction at when negligible suction isbeing developed bythe motor, allin such manner to positively insure thatthe ignition circuit will be maintained closed so long as the motor isin operation, yet will instantly be disrupted should operation ci themotor cease.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists or thefollowing combinations, arrangements and functional relationships ofelements as set forth in the following specification and particularlypointed out in the appended claim.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure l is a view showing in vertical central section one form orcircuit controller embodying this invention, in open circuit position;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary view similar to Figure l, and showing thecircuit controller in closed circuit position;

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional View taken on the line oi Figure l;

Figure 4 is a vertical central sectional view of a modified form ofcircuit controller in closed circuit position.

Referring specifically to the drawing, and particularly to Figures l, 2and 3, the invention in its present embodiment comprises a casing Ccomposed of a cylindrical open ended shell l@ of glass or other suitabletransparent and insulating material, the ends of which are closed byheads il and l2 which coact to clamp the shell therebetween through themedium of tie bolts i3. Ring gaskets l5 seat in annular grooves iii andI1 in the respective heads, which grooves also Edil-83) receive the endsof the shell to confine the latter against lateral displacement.

En the present instance, the head il constructed or" hard rubber orother suitable insulating material and is provided on its inner si lewith a tubular extension ttl which projects into the casing C. Theextension constiL a cylinder i@ into the inner open end oi whic" islively ntted a piston 253 of hard rubber or other suitable material.Formed in the head i i in coininunicaticn with the outer end of the cylder i@ is an induction por which, through the rnediuin or" a suitableelbow fitting 22 and pipe is adapted to be placed in communication i theintake manifold oi a motor (not shot-Jn) so that when the motor is inoperation suction will be induced in the cylinder iS to draw the pistonfrom the position shown in Figure l to that shown in Figure 2.

Secured intermediate its ends by a screw Erl to the piston 2t is aContact member 25 ci sn ng metal, one end of which is provided with a ceact point 2S, and the other end ci which is bent erally to provide atongue '2l'. rihe tongue extends -eeiy into a bifurcation formed andsupported by the head li. ductor is clamped at one end to the con member25 by the screw fifi and is soldered a other end to the binding post Q9so as to provide a positive electrical connection between the latter andcontact member, yet permit the inernber piston to move unitarily asatorestateo.

A second binding post 3l extends through and is supported by the head liin the saine manner as the binding post 2@ at a location diametricallyopposed to the latter, and is provided with a contact point alined withthe contact point lo and spaced from the latter when the piston andcontact member gravitate to the position shown in Figure l, in theabsence of suction in the cylinder whereby to create an open circuitcondition between the contacts and binding posts. in practice, a feedwire of the ignition circuit of a motor is parted at a convenientlocation, and its ends secured to the binding posts as shown in Figure lso that when the contact points are open, the ignition circuit will bedisrupted independently or the usual ignition switch (not shown) lnorder to prevent pressure or vacuum being created in the casing andoffering resistance to the free movement of the piston, a vent port @il(Figure 3) is provided in the head il. it will be manifest that thetongue 2l of the contact member 25 coacts with the binding post toprevent rotation of the piston and thus insure alinement of the contactpoints 2S and 32 at all times while leaving the piston free formovenient.

n the open position of the circuit controller shown in Figure l, thehead or" the screw 24 rests upon an actuator in the form of a pin Sii ofhard rubber or other suitable insulating material. The pin S5 isreciprocably mounted in a guide sleeve 35 projecting axially from thesection 3l! of the two section head l2 into the casing C. The othersection 3S of the head i2 coacts with the section Si to denne a chamber3Q in which works a diaphragm 4i) clamped between the sections of thehead by screws 4i, which also secure the sections together. The innerend of the pin 35 is provided with a head i2 slidabiy fitting the bore'33 of the sleeve and the pin normally urged by a spring la to engageiiex the diaphragm 4t to position shown in Figure l. The chamber 38 atthe other side or" the diaphragm is provided with a pressure port 45,which, through the medium of a pipe is adapted to be placed. incommunication with the pressure side ci the pipe line leading from theusuai oil pump of the motor (not shown), for constantly circulating eilunder pressure to the working parts of the motor during operation of thelatter. Thus the pressure oi the cil will be imposed on the diaphragm to'flex the latter to the position shown in Figure 2 so that the pin willbe raised to function in moving the contact member 25 to and maintainingit in the circuit closing position shown in this figure. The oilpressure is thus utilized to supplement the motor suction maintainingthe ignition circuit closed at times the suction may be inadequate toact upon the piston 2@ with suicient force and eiect to insureengagement orn the con tacts. It will be clear that when operation oithe motor neases with the consequent relief of oil pressure upon thediaphragm as weil as the absence of suction, that the spring Lili willrestore the pin the diaphragm t@ to the position shown in Figure l, thuspermitting the piston and 4B and 49 of insulating material, such asrubber, coacting to define a chamber spanned by a diaphragm 5i clampedby screws 52 which secure the sections together. The section 48 isprovided axially with a vertical inlet tube 53 communicating with thechamber 5D above the diaphragm and supporting a pair of contacts 54 and55 spaced one above the other. The inlet tube 53 is adapted to beconnected to the intake manifold ci a motor, whereas an inlet collarprojecting from the section 49 in communication with the chamber 5dbeneath the diaphragm is adapted to be connected to the feed line fromthe pressure side of the oil pump of the motor. The portions of thechamber above the diaphragm and the tube up to the level of the lowerContact 54 are lled with a body of mercury 56 or other iluid conductingsubstance. The usual ignition circuit of which the wire 51 connected tothe contacts 54 and forms a part, is normally disrupted by the spacedcontacts. However, when the motor is in operation and suction is thusinduced in the tube 53, the mercury will be sucked up into the tube asuilicient distance to bridge the contacts 54 and and thereby maintainthe ignition circuit complete at this point. The oil pressure imposedupon the diaphragm 5l will insure that the level of the mercury columnin the tube 53 will be maintained should the suction at any time duringoperation of the motor be inadequate for this purpose.

I claim:

A circuit controller for motor ignition systems ng a pair of relativelymovable contacts normally urged to disengage each other; a cylinderadapted for connection to the intake manifold ci a motor; a pistonsecured to the movable contact and movable in the cylinder Linder theaction of suction to engage the contacts; means defining a chamberhaving a diaphragm therein adapted to be subjected to pressure in thelubricating system of the motor; and an actuating pin reciprocablymounted co-aXially of the piston and interposed between the piston anddiaphragm for movement by the latter when pressure is imposed thereuponto maintain the contacts closed; and means for urging the pin in adirection to disengage the contacts.

BRUNO GORSCHALKI.

